Afghanistan Cancels Military Visit To Pakistan

Afghanistan has canceled a military delegation's trip to Pakistan because of "unacceptable Pakistani shelling."

An 11-member Afghan National Army team was due to travel to Quetta to participate in simulated military exercises.

Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry released a statement on March 27 announcing the visit would not happen due to Pakistani shelling into Afghanistan's Konar Province on March 25-26.

Strained ties between the neighboring countries have grown worse lately.

An unnamed Pakistani Foreign Ministry official recently told the Reuters news agency that Afghan President Hamid Karzai was the biggest obstacle to peace and was taking his country "straight to hell."

Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin said on March 27 he was "shocked" at Pakistan's complacency toward Afghan peace efforts and added that his country was prepared to make peace with the Taliban without Pakistan's involvement.